1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a wireless energy signal system. One particular aspect of the present invention relates to a remote (also called wireless) power transmission system for charging, recharging and/or generally powering electronic apparatuses or devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Millions of portable electronic devices are in use today. Each of these devices employs a power source, which requires periodic maintenance such as replacement of a battery or connection to a charger. Many users simply forget to connect the electronic device to the charger and are left without sufficient power to use their portable devices. Many portable devices are intended for used at all times, thus creating a need for improved systems and methods for charging these devices.
Wireless energy signal is defined as point-to-point energy or power transmission through free space (a vacuum), the atmosphere, or other media, without the use of conductors, such as electrical wires. As used herein, the term wireless transmission includes all types of conductor-less transmissions. When power is transmitted wirelessly, attenuation of the energy from the transmitter to the receiver is generally a function of the distance that separates them, principally because the medium through which the energy travels affects the energy.
Wireless energy signal systems have been proposed to convert large quantities of solar energy into an energy beam that could be transmitted from outer space to the surface of the earth through satellite transmissions. Once on earth, the energy beam would be converted back to a usable energy form that would be pumped into the existing electrical energy distribution grid. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,114,517; 3,781,647; and 3,174,705. Other proposed wireless energy signal systems use several transmission frequencies of the energy spectrum in order to minimize the energy loss from the beam as it travels through the atmosphere, including radio frequency (RF), laser, and optical frequency (OF). For the RF energy beam, atmospheric attenuation may reach 4 GHz even during a heavy rainstorm. Other windows of transmission which are 0.5 to 1 GHz wide exist around 35 GHz and 94 GHz, for example. Systems designed to operate at these relatively high frequencies have the added advantage of operating at smaller apertures wherein the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna can be smaller. Such systems have been considered for transmission of energy from satellites in a low earth orbit or geosynchronous orbit to the surface of the earth, a distance of many kilometers. Transmitting from space to the surface of the earth greatly diminishes laser based energy beam capabilities due to the long distances the laser beam must travel in the earth's atmosphere.
Thus, there currently exists a need for improved systems and methods for remote, wireless, charging and recharging systems that can sequentially and/or simultaneously power electronic devices.